The history of Santa Barbara is unusual in that it benefited during the early phases of its development from the huge generosity of founding citizens, whose wealth and sophistication suited them to make judicious choices for the growing community — especially with regard to its built environment.
Over time, the prosperity of Santa Barbara County as a whole has enabled its citizens to enjoy an unusual standard of public and private amenities even as its decision-making process evolved to the current structure of a Board of Supervisors, advised by citizen commissions and a professional staff that is maintained at public expense.
During times of affluence, this somewhat unrepresentative form of government has worked satisfactorily. As California confronts a severe national and local recession, however, it may not prove capable of responding to issues of resource allocation democratically. The burden of responsibility is particularly heavy for the Board of Supervisors whose decisions, especially with regard to planning and development, have the potential to alter forever the nature of an area that must rank among the very highest worldwide with regard to the satisfaction of its fortunate inhabitants and visitors.
Santa Barbara County planning staff have published a Draft Goleta Valley Community Plan Update for Eastern Goleta Valley for approval by the Board of Supervisors that proposes drastic changes in the character of the unincorporated area based on Hollister Avenue between the cities of Santa Barbara and Goleta. Parcels of 20 acres and more, currently zoned agricultural, are targeted for development with high-density dwellings of 20 units per acre. Initial projects would accommodate 2,000 additional inhabitants. Current residents have already experienced deteriorating local conditions because of recent population increases and they are convinced that such further development would diminish unalterably the quality of life for all concerned.
It is questionable whether government construction projects on such a scale should be undertaken during a time of recession, when immigration and other economic indicators are declining. The vacancy rates in neighboring county communities illustrate the inadvisability of bending rules to achieve unrealistic social goals. Financiers, developers and local planners in those areas rushed to reap profits from development, with disastrous results for the people who were supposed to benefit from those projects. In addition, valuable open land was lost for ever.
Budgetary concerns weigh heavily on planners and developers under current economic conditions. The proposed development in our area would boost county budgets with income from permits and taxes. Average salaries of government employees are high relative to workers in other fields and in a declining economy there may be no other prospects of meeting payroll and other government office expenses. The government sector nationwide has weathered the economic downturn better than other employment sectors except health care, but it will be a challenge for communities to maintain current staffing and services as the recession continues.
Despite the pressure on them from special interests and a natural loyalty to staff members who have labored for three years on the Draft Community Plan Update for Eastern Goleta Valley, we can only hope that the Board of Supervisors will keep in mind the irrevocability of allowing further development to annihilate the last vestiges of open land around the city of Santa Barbara. One decade into the 21st century, few can predict how our economy and culture will respond to the current recession. Certainly it is short-sighted for governments and decision-makers to resort to outmoded solutions to problems like a perceived housing shortage, that has its roots in the earlier prosperous years of the previous century.
Food supply is one area that is changing. Rising transportation costs, together with the recent upsurge in demand for organically raised fruits and vegetables argue for the preservation of agricultural zoning on open land. National awakening to the necessity for sweeping changes in diet, especially for children — one third of whom are expected to be diabetic within 10 years — should urge planners and decision-makers to encourage small-scale, “slow food” production, especially in this area where conditions are close to perfect. If there is water to supply thousands of new residences, there should be sufficient to support modern, sustainable small-scale farming.
In the current debate over zoning of the area that is described in county planning documents as the “Eastern Goleta Valley,” residents feel themselves victimized by political maneuvering over which they have no control. Our only hope is that the Board of Supervisors will have the vision to resist irrevocable decisions on further development that are primarily financially expedient, and will recognize their responsibility to stand against major changes to an area that has for centuries provided a phenomenal quality of life.
Susan Bjork
Santa Barbara
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